StarDrifter's Last Moments
by Smyk
Summary: This story is based on the last moments of StarDrifter SunSoar, an Icarii Enchanter. Copyright by Sara Douglass, and is from the series of Wayfarer Redemption.


This Story was originally written for an English assignment for school, but I decided to upload it onto here so that all of you can read it. Please read and review!!!

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StarDrifter SunSoar cringed as the HawkChilds circled over him, screaming out their pleasure at dealing out pain and terror to Tencendor. The land was now a barren wasteland, in its last throes of death. StarDrifter could almost feel the hoarse and tense breathing of the earth under his feet. It saddened him beyond measure that he had to die like this. And Zenith… _Zenith!_ Why, by the Stars, had she gone to WolfStar? Didn't she understand that the one man she loved was fated to die?

The foul stench of fresh, coppery blood and the rotting bodies on the fields around StarDrifter repulsed him. Even though he had lived through the past war ( The Prophecy of the Destroyer), this one was the worst. The TimeKeeper Demons had totally ruined his world, and destroyed all those he cared for. He remembered Zenith's death, as her wings were torn out in front of him, and he was sprayed with her blood. StarDrifter remembered how she had screamed his name as she died, hoping that he would rescue her one last time. And how he had just stood there, paralysed by the lack of meaningful life…

Suddenly, the HawkChilds dived at him. He lifted himself up into the air with his shaking flight muscles trembling with fatigue. His wings were ripped, and as he felt the muscles inside his wings rip and tear, he bit his tongue, trying to keep from screaming.

Suddenly, he felt the pressure and weight of something on his back. And it was then that StarDrifter knew that all was lost. For who would survive with the weight of a HawkChild on their back? The immense weight crippled his wings, and StarDrifter fell towards the ground, the HawkChild on his back.

As they landed, a snap resounded from StarDrifter's leg, and he screamed with pain, the blood vessels in his eyes bursting, changing his pale blue eye colour to red mixed in with blue. He lay limp, in the HawkChild's embrace.

The HawkChild looked at the pathetic Icarii that lay in her talons. She raked her claws slowly, painfully down his face, delighting in the flesh, blood and gore that covered her claws. The Icarii screamed, and thrashed about. So he still had the strength to do that. She was surprised. But, it was her job to kill this Icarii. And since she had once been Icarii, she knew what would ultimately kill his soul, heart and spirit. Her beak curved into a wicked, cruel smile.

StarDrifter screamed as he felt the HawkChilds claws rip into his wings. She shredded them, flesh, blood, and tiny bits of bone coating her feathers. StarDrifter screamed, and his whole body shook violently. He had never felt pain to this degree. _Oh, let it stop, stop, Stars, HELP ME!!!!!_

Wingless, and dying, StarDrifter clung onto life. Suddenly, Tencendor erupted. The land shook, and jolted StarDrifter into opening his eyes. But, when he opened them, he saw a blue orb hovering just above his face. Out of it radiated sweet music, and veins of gold shimmered lightly underneath the blue skin of the orb. He gasped, because the orb contained a tiny fraction- the only remaining part- of the Star Dance. StarDrifter forced himself to lift a hand, and he touched the pulsing blue orb.

For a moment, everything vanished. And then StarDrifter was looking down onto Tencendor from a bird's eye view, being held up by the Star Dance. He saw the grey land sinking into the sea. He tried to more, to scream, but he was held still by the Star Dance. StarDrifter could only watch as his beloved Tencendor was swallowed up by the ocean, until nothing remained.

Then, he felt the Star Dance touch out to him, and invisible fingers briefly brushed his cheek. The voice of the Star Dance briefly said:

_This is my gift to you. Use it wisely, StarDrifter SunSoar, Prince of the Icarii, and Governor of my Heart._

Suddenly, a vision appeared in front of StarDrifter. He saw a field, full of softly swaying grass and white lilies. He saw his family, and all those who had died in Tencendor walking around on the grass, sitting, laughing. But his eyes were on Zenith.

She was dressed in a light golden dress, which illuminated her black wings and black hair. Her eyes shone out to meet him, and her hand gracefully rose up and waved to him. She smiled, and StarDrifter unconsciously smiled back.

As suddenly as it had appeared, the vision vanished, and StarDrifter was surrounded by darkness. He was nothing. All he could do was think. And it was then that it hit him. Zenith had sent him that vision from wherever she rested in death. It was her last message. And StarDrifter realised that he couldn't stay with her because someone somewhere out there in the universe, wanted him to live. And even though it tore Zenith apart not to be with him, she let StarDrifter drift beyond the Eternal Field of Flowers because she didn't want him to die for her. He had seen too much death.

The world appeared again, and StarDrifter was himself. He was falling towards a huge palace. He tried to flap his wings, and realised that they weren't there. And neither was the Star Dance. As StarDrifter fell towards the Palace of the First in Coroleas, he wept bitterly. He knew that he was a cripple. He wasn't dead; he was without Zenith, the love of his life; he was wingless, and the power of the Star Dance didn't exist anymore. The tears flowed freely down his face, mixing with the blood still falling from his back.

As he hit the marble floor of the Palace, he let the pain flow through him. At least it dulled his thoughts, which cut through him like the sweet silver blade of a knife. And as he heard footsteps resounding across the marble, StarDrifter drifted. He closed his eyes, even though he knew that he was doomed to live. He just wanted to remain with the darkness a little longer, a little longer, only a little more…

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Please rate and review!!!

By StarDreamer SunSoar, roost mate of StarDrifter SunSoar.


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